9 secrets to successful university study

Taking your education to the next level? Adjusting to university study can be overwhelming, but that doesn’t mean you can’t succeed.

Hira studied at INTO Queen’s University Belfast; she shares her tips on getting the most out of your academic experience.

1. Plan your day every night and stick to the schedule the next morning

Planning does not only help you set out clear goals, but also to make your routine much more organised, managing your time smartly.

Trust me, learning to manage your time will help you throughout your life!

Once everything is noted down, there’s a sense of motivation that makes you work hard.

Top tip: use a calendar or planner and mark it with all the important things in order.

2. Write notes during class

Writing notes helps you recall your lecture all over again in your brain while studying for a test/exam.

Be it short notes or just a hint of the story your teacher told you to explain a certain topic, every single bit helps.

A Chinese proverb explains the importance of notes, by saying that if you see something, or repeat it out loud you may forget it.

However, if you see something, repeat it and scribble it somewhere, nothing can make you forget it.

3. Ask questions

“Those who ask questions during class might look like fa ool for 5 minutes, but those who don’t ask, stay fools for la ifetime”, so why not just ask the question and clear out your confusion?

4. Stop leaving everything to the 23rd hour!

Studying one day before the exam is really common, but it’s also one of the worst things you can do.

Even if you manage to get a good grade after an overnight study, you can definitely never manage to get an outstanding grade.

Overnight study retains in your brain only for some time. If you really want to make it stick, you have to keep on revising it every day. At least after every few days!

Spread out your work and review class materials several times.

5. Revise what happened in the last class and read further

It’s a very good idea to revise the work you did in your last class.

It would hardly take 15 minutes but it will recall everything.

You can answer to the questions your teacher may ask or you can pass a surprise test with that.

If you really wish to excel in class then put on extra 15 minutes and read ahead.

Reading topics before you study them in class works wonders. You will realise how simple actually everything is and your teacher will totally love you for being the “smartest kid”.

6. Find a comfortable place to study

Where you plan to study should be clean, with good lighting and few distractions.

liKeep chocolate and a water bottle with you, as it helps in giving oxygen to your brain and chocolate retains energy.

7. Take short breaks

Breaks help you relax and concentrate while studying.

It’s said to be a healthy study when studied with a 10 minute break after every 45 minutes.

Your memory retains information that you study at the beginning and the end, better than in the middle.

Either do some exercise during the break, or just shut your eyes and try not to think about anything in that time. Try not to use any technology.

It may help in dealing with your social media cravings, but trust me, catching up on your phone does not aid relaxing your mind. Instead, it can burn you out.

8. Get plenty of sleep

One of the most vital things to ensure a healthy studying lifestyle is making sure you get 8 hours sleep.

Less sleep can lead to your brain slowing down. To stay healthy for a long time you have to put sleep as a priority.9. Reward yourself

Get yourself a new item of clothing or a tasty treat.

This helps motivate you to learn more and more, and the snack will help perk you up for the next part of your study session!

How do you keep on top of your studies? Leave us your tips in the comments.

Why not start with creating your perfect study zone, or get smart in the kitchen with our tips on eating for success?

Make sure you stay connected with the INTO Queen’s University Belfast student network on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram.